Derry role for Temple Bar trust chief

TEMPLE BAR Cultural Trust chief executive Dermot McLaughlin is taking up a key role in the Derry City of Culture organisation.

Mr McLaughlin, whose organisation manages properties worth more than €9 million in Dublin city centre, will begin a one-year secondment as project director for Derry UK City of Culture 2013 from Monday.

The move is the result of an agreement between the Temple Bar Cultural Trust board, chaired by Dáithí O Ceallaigh, and the Strategic Investment Board of Northern Ireland.

Dublin city manager John Tierney, the trust’s sole shareholder, has also backed the move.

Mr McLaughlin, a Derry native, will have responsibility for maximising the economic and social benefits of the city’s year as UK city of culture.

The role will involve events programming, infrastructure development and marketing the city.

Shona McCarthy is chief executive of the Culture Company 2013, which is responsible for the city of culture project. She previously ran the Foyle Film Festival in the city.

The pair will work in parallel. She reports to the local authority while Mr McLaughlin will report to the Strategic Investment Board.

Temple Bar Cultural Trust is one of the capital’s biggest landlords and manages a mix of 28 commercial, residential and retail premises in the Temple Bar district. They were valued at €9.4 million at the end of 2010.

The trust holds the properties as a long-term investment. Its remit is to manage and promote Temple Bar as a cultural centre and tourist attraction.

Derry launched the programme for its year as city of culture earlier this week. The event is expected to boost business in the city, primarily by attracting large numbers of extra tourists there next year.

The organisers also hope it will act as a platform to attract new investment to the northwestern region.

Part of Mr McLaughlin’s remit will be to maximise the long-term benefits of the city of culture project.